


D4NG3ROUS

by TelepathJeneral



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Aquariumstuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-16
Updated: 2013-04-16
Packaged: 2017-12-08 16:46:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/763694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TelepathJeneral/pseuds/TelepathJeneral
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You're a professional. Everyone knows that. But when working with certain animals, it might be easier to sway you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Your name is Terezi Pyrope, and you are a member of an elite set of staff entailed with protecting the restricted area of the aquarium. At the moment, however, said restricted area is in a bit of a kerfuffle, and it doesn’t seem as restricted as usual when most of the staff has joined you in here. You swear you can see Captor over there, lurking despite his bright white coat, and Nitram pacing in one corner. The large tank in the center of the room occupies most of their attention, and to be honest, most of yours as well. You’re getting a new resident today, and you can’t really see what all the fuss is about. All you know is that it’ll be another thing for you to keep track of. Another creature to monitor and watch and secure each night.

The transfer tank seems a bit on the large side, but you don’t really have room to spout off opinions-Sollux Captor is the expert here, and he seems to know what he’s doing. He requested that the lights remain relatively dim while the transfer took place, and while his assistant keeps bumping into things, the rest of you have adjusted well enough. Well, the rest of them. You’re used to the darkness. It’s one reason you’re so good at your job.

However, even with your expertise, it’s hard to make out anything inside the transfer tank, and so you decide to simply wait by the door. Sollux takes care of the difficult stuff, and Nitram checks off his little list of supplies. The sloshing of water echoes in the cavernous room, and Tavros’s protests make you smile faintly. This thing, whatever it is, wouldn’t have made it this far if it was fragile. After a moment, a large splash announces your new arrival, and Captor backs away to nod to his assistant. The transfer tank is lowered back into place, and Tavros dashes forward to begin his final checks. The spectacle over, most of the rest of staff begins to file out, leaving you finally alone again in the dark.

Captor finishes a few final notations, trying to see inside the tank, then beckons to Nitram. You step forward to take any instruction he might have, then grin as he hesitates. He’s in unfamiliar territory here. Nodding slightly, you lean back, trying to put him at ease.

“Ah, yes, Miss Pyrope-this newcomer will need a great deal of observation over the next few days, but the darkness will be good for her. I trust you to alert me to whatever happens?”

“Of course, Mister Captor, sir.” You nod again, touching a finger to your cap. “All the little lovelies in here will be kept in tip-top shape. And our new guest will receive special priority.”

“Good.” He nods, turning away, and you smile faintly as Nitram scurries away. You know he’s afraid of you-in fact, it’s hardly surprising. You monitor the most dangerous creatures of the aquarium in this room, and most of the staff is slightly discomforted by the rapport you seem to have with them. You say it’s nothing personal, you just prefer the more subtle creatures to those with flashy fins. The box jellies, the dragonfish, the little luminescent anglerfish in the far corner; they’re simply more interesting than the sharks outside. You and Captor have considered opening a night exhibit, a room in total darkness highlighting your prize glowfish, but for the moment the room serves better as a containment center, providing space for researchers and scientists to examine your specimens.

Captor glances back at the tank one final time, hoping perhaps to see some indication of movement, but sighs in reluctance after a moment. “Simply keep an eye on her, will you? Tavros knows what to do, just don’t let her frighten you.”

“Her, frighten me?” You resist the urge to laugh, and so settle for a delighted smile. “I know what I’m getting into, Sollux, and I’ve handled a lot more than one transfer at a time. I’m the least of your concerns.” You pause, putting a finger to your chin in mock thought, then shrug. “Tavros, now-he may be the food handler for now, but he’s come dangerously close to becoming simply food.”

Captor winces at the expression, but brushes off your humor to exit the room. “Well, good luck, Terezi. I’ll check in again tonight, but until then you’re on your own.”  
“Just as I like it, chief.” You salute sarcastically, standing tall, then relax as the door closes behind him. Standing in the near-darkness, you turn to examine the room.

Now the real fun can begin.


	2. Chapter 2

You stare at the tank in the darkness, waiting to see if anything new will show up, but to be honest, your expectations aren’t that high. It’s been almost a week now, and the new occupant hasn’t even moved. Sollux claims she’s still settling in, but you don’t want to use the flashlight to see if she’s all right-the light will probably just annoy her, and it’ll certainly bother you. The other fish haven’t reacted much to the newcomer, their flashes simply reflecting off the dark glass, and everything has been quiet.

Too quiet.

You frown, debating whether to tap the glass. It probably wouldn’t accomplish much good, but you might be able to at least see the thing, make sure it’s still alive. Carefully, you put a hand up to the glass, just able to feel the immensity of the water five inches from your face.  
Suddenly, the tank flares with a brilliant blue light, and you nearly fall back in surprise as a face is visible in the darkness. You aren’t easily scared, but the sight of fangs and long legs makes you step back. For a moment, a rush of glittering blue runs the length of the creature’s body, and eventually the light show slows down to illuminate the top of the tank. A large bubble seems to have been trapped not far below the lid of the tank, and you try to make out details when a shadow crosses the light. Rising into the bubble, a large, eight-legged thing settles into a tight ball, its bright eyes pointedly watching you. 

You can’t help but stare. Sollux never mentioned that you were getting a spider. And an aquatic spider, none the less. She resembles some of the other specimens you have scattered through the aquarium, but the large bulbous body is new. Her wet hair shines in her own light, and her arms are folded as she watches you. You don’t want to seem threatening, so you raise one hand to wave. You’re encouraged when she does the same.

For a long moment, the both of you stare at each other, her light having disturbed some of the other fish to give you plenty of soft light. She doesn’t seem to be confused by your glasses, and you slowly get used to her unblinking stare. Of course, being underwater, she wouldn’t really need eyelids. You carefully step closer to the tank again, beginning to circle it to note how her eyes follow, and try to note as much detail as you can along her dark body. It’s hard to see much, and your…impediment doesn’t help things, but the light patterns along her body are clear enough.

You appreciate the simple elegance of her legs, folded beneath her as they are, and begin to relax as you complete the circle. She’s a beautiful specimen, absolutely stunning, and honestly you’re impressed Sollux left you with her. You could stay here forever, watching her, and it would be a very long time before you got bored.  
Forcing yourself away, you begin to do a perimeter check of the room, nodding at the fish as you pass. When reaching the door, you duck outside to glance at the darkened aquarium, the few security lights not enough to irritate you, and you make your way into the bathrooms.

Inside it’s slightly brighter, but not too bad, and you step up to the mirror to remove the glasses. It takes a moment to adjust, but you can see yourself now, the bright teal of your eyes still a surprise each time you see them. For a long time, even they were too bright for you, but you were strong, pushed past it, and now you can see almost as well as the others. Unfortunately, it’s reliant on certain conditions.

Your glasses are indispensable, it goes without saying. They’ve been a part of you for nearly fifteen years, and they make your world manageable. Bright light still hurts your eyes, even if most people don’t consider it bright, and so the glasses dim the world enough to make it visible. Details are still fuzzy, but you don’t bump into things anymore.

Checking around the aquarium once again, you follow the instructions to adjust the tanks in the middle of the center, making sure the water flow is correct or whatever it is Sollux told you to do, and meander back to your station up front. Your relief should be by soon, and then you can take off. Still, you’d like to go back and check on that spider again.

The brilliant blue echoes behind your eyelids even as you try to monitor the cameras.


	3. Chapter 3

You’re impressed at the rest of the aquarium staff-they haven’t come poking around the restricted area, and everything’s run quite smoothly for a while now. Sollux has proclaimed your spider (a Argyroneta aquatic, you learn) in perfect health, and you’ve been allowed to continue taking care of her as you keep tabs on the other fish. As is par for the course, you don’t see many of the others when you work the night shifts. The janitor once interrupted you while you were examining the tank, but you simply smiled and shooed him out. 

She-the spider-has adjusted better than you thought she could, accepting the various caretakers moving about her tank even as you tense in worry. Both you and Tavros decided unanimously to start calling her “Vriska”, though you know Sollux would never approve, and it’s far easier to think of her that way rather than as “the spider”. Speaking of Nitram, you and he have been forced into something of a symbiosis as you deal with Vriska, one watching while the other dips into the tank in order to feed her. He’s let you have the honors once or twice, and you couldn’t believe she’s more beautiful close up. She retreated to let you dip into the water, watching with those eyes of hers while you carefully laid out the food.

In many ways, her effect could be called mesmerizing, especially in the darkness of the restricted area. You’ve caught Tavros and even Sollux staring a few times, lost in the brilliant patterns flashing along her body. It’s simply hard to stay focused around her. And the effect gets worse when you’re left alone. When she’s in the water, her hair billows around her like a cushion, strikingly dark against her light. Her eyes are striking, deep and dark, and they draw you in the longer you stare. You know she watches you, she waits for you now, gently circling her tank as you make your rounds. It’s sweet, you think. 

However, she isn’t waiting tonight, and you are frankly surprised by the lack of light. Something’s different. You approach the tank carefully, thinking of what could have happened, and just barely make out movement inside. Raising a hand, you gently tap on the glass, noting a small flicker of surprise before she finally illuminates the water.

You didn’t know Tavros was in here. And, more importantly, you didn’t know she would try to…well, do whatever she was doing with him. He still has the tank strapped to his back, the mouthpiece half-off, but it takes him a moment to wake up and realize you’re standing there. His blush is evident, and he quickly swims away from her to find the top of the tank. Vriska, for her part, seems to show no evidence of embarrassment, silently laughing as Tavros flees.

As he hauls himself out of the tank, you move to stand in his way, baton in one hand. “So?”

“Ah, TZ, I didn’t mean to stay in there so long-it was just the night feeding, she got a little aggressive-“

“What happened with the mouthpiece, Tavros?” You keep your voice light, sweet, and he can sense the anger beneath. “You never break protocol, so why did you take it off?”

“I-I didn’t, she did!” He protests, backing away. “She-and I-she’s drawn to me, now, and-“

“To you? Tavros, don’t make me laugh.” You do so anyway, chuckling softly. “You’re drawn to her, not the other way around. You’re just a meal ticket. I’m her protector, her guardian. I love her. You feed her.”

He tenses at your speech, confusion registering in his expression. “You…wait, love?”

“I use the term lightly. Point is, I offer what you cannot. It is impossible that she could find anything-anything-worth liking about you. Stick to your daytime creatures, Tavros, and I’ll guard the night.” Stepping aside, you let him pass, the suit leaving wet trails as he disappears into the store room. Glancing at the tank, you approach the rim yourself, avoiding a puddle to stare into the water.

“You and I, Vriska-we won’t need them. The only one you need is me, and the only one I need is you. Right?” Placing a hand against the water, you watch her swim closer, hair sticking to her neck, before she takes your hand in hers.

You trust each other. She would never hurt you. And so you lower your arm, letting her explore the skin before gently drawing it to her lips. She’s kissed you, and now you smile. 

This is what perfection was. You, and her, alone together. And God help the one who tried to tear you apart.


	4. Chapter 4

It’s the staff meeting that really gets you annoyed, especially when you find out that everyone-including that janitor-has to come. You file into the meeting room, scowling at the light, and claim your seat across from Tavros. He still won’t look at you after that night you found him in the tank. Sollux has taken over the meeting with his usual confidence, while the janitor’s been relegated to the end of the table. At first it’s just simple stuff-bills, whether to adjust the feeding schedule-mostly a bunch of topics that don’t affect you in the slightest. But then Sollux shuffles the papers and nods thoughtfully.

“Right, now-has anyone decided what we could do with the darkroom area? For now we’ve kept it off limits, but the ability to use it for research isn’t as pressing as I thought. Tavros, you seemed to think everything would run okay-“

“Wait, the darkroom? You mean the restricted area.” You protest, leaning forward. “There’s dangerous animals in there.”

“Behind five inches of glass, yes. We’ve talked about this, Terezi, turning it into an actual exhibit. If researchers need it, we can close it off again, but it would be a nice addition to the actual aquarium.”

“You can’t let people in there, they’ll-they won’t know the protocol, and they’ll frighten the fish. They have to be handled delicately.”

“Tavros has claimed differently-or at least, that the handling wouldn’t be an issue. They’re perfectly safe, Terezi, and we have you to thank for that. But it’s time for us to expand, and adding a nocturnal exhibit is the perfect way to start.”

The janitor, whose badge read “Karkat”, shrugged. “It wouldn’t be that different. I already mop up in there, I can take a look at the systems in the tanks.”

“Good. So, I’ll check with the bank, but I’ll simply have some guardrails installed and a few plaques made up. If I can get in touch with a contractor and have the inspector in, we could have this up in a few months. All in favor?”

“Wait!” You rush to intercede. “What about Vri-about the spider? Certainly we can’t let the general public ogle her-“

“Why not? We’re here to instruct and guide, and our water spider is a rare specimen. I hate to say it, but she’d be good for business.”

“She’s not something to boost ticket sales, or promote the aquarium, she’s-she’s a thinking creature, she deserves respect!” 

“Terezi, it’s impressive that you’ve developed such an attachment to your wards, but our diurnal creatures don’t seem to mind the ‘ogling’. Feferi and Eridan, in fact-the mermaid, if you recall-they’ve flourished under the attention. It could be good for her.”

“You couldn’t be more wrong about anything, Sollux. She’s dangerous, and volatile. She could hurt someone-“

“If they fell into the tank, which they won’t. This is why we establish safety protocols, Terezi, to protect the public.”

“But-“

“It’s not a matter for discussion. If you find any pressing reason to hold off on the project, please bring it to my attention, but otherwise-we’re done.” Sollux nods, standing, as the others began to follow suit. Desperate, you look to Tavros for help, but he ignores you to quickly flee the room. You end up being the last one out, and as your shift is over, you make your way to the parking lot.

Karkat’s waiting there, his dark gray uniform blending in with the back wall, and he moves to walk beside you as you head to your car. “What’s your obsession with the spider? I’ve seen her, she’s nothing special.”

“Nothing special? We’re not looking at the same spider.”

“What do you see, then? If you can see-fuck, never mind. I didn’t mean to-“

“She’s beautiful, Karkat, if you didn’t notice. She’s entrancing, she’s spectacular, and she’s-she’s one of a kind. We have to keep her protected, away from everyone else.” You nod, unlocking the doors before sliding in. “I can’t let Sollux parade her around like a circus monkey. I’ll think of something.”

“Wait, Terezi-what are you talking about, what’s going-“ You slam the door shut, making him fume, but you don’t much care as you pull out of the employee lot. Despite what the others say, you have to help Vriska. And you’ve only got two months to pull it off.


	5. Chapter 5

It took some time, but you finally assembled everything. You’ve got transport ready, a tank for her, and the determination to get it done. Sollux has plowed ahead with his plan to open the darkroom, and you can’t stop him. Now he won’t shut up about it, babbling on and on with that lisp of his about how good it’ll be for the aquarium-

You can’t take it anymore.

And that’s why you’re here, now, perched above the tank in the only wetsuit that fits you, the security monitors turned off. You know how to set this up, and now you’re going to pull it off. You’re getting her out of here. For her own good, of course.

She’s more than willing to respond to you, watching as you slip into the tank beside her, and she comes to take your hand again when you offer it. You just need to coax her out, now, you know she can breathe-there’s the transport tank just waiting for her, and she’s ready to join you.

You’re surrounded by her light, nearly flooded with the color as she stirs the water beside you, and the sensation is unlike anything you’ve experienced before. The sensation of her legs against the sleek surface of the wetsuit nearly makes you laugh, but your breath has been held since you entered the tank-not from lack of oxygen, but from awe. She’s more beautiful up close, darkly enchanting and alluring in the muted light, and the physical sensation is more powerful than it was outside the tank. You’re ready now, she’s ready, and you’re treading water back to the lip of the tank, ready to affect her escape.

She’s heavy, but you’re ready for it, and as you break the surface of the water she carefully pokes her head above the surface to join you. Encouraged, you lift again, clambering onto the ledge.

Suddenly, a bright light floods the facility, and you’re blinded by the shock as you lose your grip. The lights were supposed to be off, you had taken your glasses off to keep them safe-the world pushes into your head with an intense pain. You can hear Vriska hiss, a harsh sound even through the headpiece of the wetsuit, and she slips away from you. You begin to flail, feeling the chill of the water for the first time, and you can barely make out a dark gray figure running toward the tank across the ledge.

“Pyrope! Pyrope, what the hell are you doing?”

“Turn the lights off!” You practically screech, driving Vriska further away. Your flailing has pushed her to the far corner of the tank, and she’s watching with trepidation as your flippers near her air bubble, trapped in her web. “Get the lights off, you’re scaring her!”

“You’re the one in the water-fuck it, let me get you out of there.” The figure draws closer, and you can make out the janitor’s uniform-you forgot about him. Of course he would be back to finish cleaning, after everyone had left. You curse your stupidity; in fact, it’s not like you to make a simple mistake. What were you thinking?

Your attention is occupied by his arms, now trying to find purchase on your suit, and he’s hauling you up out of the tank. Fighting him, you try to return to the water, but he’s got a wiry grip, and he manages to pull you away from the top of the tank.

You try to crawl back, legs weak beneath you, but he tugs you father away. You can see him evaluating the scene, noticing the transport tank. When he relaxes, you lunge again, fighting your way back to the tank, but he tightens his grip before clasping you around the waist.

“Pyrope! Pyrope, calm down!”

“I have to get her out of here!”

“You’re stealing her, Terezi, and that’s against the law! Aren’t you all about justice for wrongdoers, and stuff like that? You’re supposed to protect these creatures, and that means leaving them in a place where they can be monitored and cared for! You can’t provide that.”

You notice he’s using your first name, but your attention is focused on better things. “I won’t let her become a sideshow attraction! She’s worth more than that.”

“Terezi-Terezi, look at me! She’s a spider, okay? She’s an animal, an amazing, semi-cognizant animal, but still an animal!” He forces you to the ground, hands on your shoulders, and the wind is knocked out of you long enough to focus on him. “She just wants to use you to hurt others, Tavros warned me of what she might do-she’s powerful, she’s dangerous, and she can’t be trusted.”

“But she’s beautiful, she won’t hurt me-“

“She’s deceptive.” Karkat holds you there until you stop shaking (something you didn’t notice until now) and carefully helps you up, a hand still around your wrist. “She lured you in, like she does with the fish she eats, and you were caught. I know what you mean, she’s hypnotizing, but you can’t let her sway you.”  
You hesitate, wanting to rush back to the tank. “How do you know?”

“They blind fish the same way, dazzling them with the light show. She just takes it a bit father, because you’re…human. It’s different.”

You nod, head beginning to pound from the heavy breathing and the lights. The world begins to swim around you, and you can hear Karkat asking more questions.

“Terezi? Terezi, are you going to be okay? Do you need me to take you home, I’ve got the car and I-Terezi? Terezi!”


	6. Chapter 6

When you wake up, your head is still throbbing, and you can barely make out shapes moving around you. There’s someone in white, and dark green walls, and it smells distinctly antiseptic-you can’t place it, but it smells familiar. There’s dampness from your hair and a bright green smock covering you, but the light is too much, and you close your eyes to shut it out, welcoming unconsciousness again.

 

Some time later, you wake to find it night again, the room now dark and empty. Your head is slightly clearer, and you sit up to try and make out details. To your surprise, Karkat’s sitting in the chair beside the bed, and eventually you realize that you’re in a hospital. The monitors around you should have clued you in, but you’re not quite at full capacity just yet. You hesitate, reaching toward him, and gently nudge his shoulder.

He wakes with a start, glancing at you, then pulls the chair closer so you can see him better. “Terezi? Pyrope, thank god you’re awake.”

“Karkat, where…I’m in the hospital?”

“I didn’t know where to take you, and you collapsed-I checked you in to the emergency room, but there wasn’t much I could do. Do you….remember anything of what happened?”

“I remember the lights-you, shouting at me, like you tend to do-and Vriska.” You quiet, laying back on the bed. “I tried to get her out.”

“Yeah, and I noticed something was up when you had a trailer attached to the car-you were honestly trying to break that spider out?”

“She was going to become some amusement for the public, little kids smearing their hands across her tank and-“

“Okay, okay, Pyrope, I get it.” He raises a hand to calm you, sighing. “Do you still want to break her out?”

“No, I-I know what it feels like to want to, but there’s no reason to take her out. She’s not legally mine.”

“Right.”

“Did you…tell Sollux about what I did?”

Karkat slowly shook his head, watching you. “I just told him that I found you passed out beside the tank. I didn’t mention the wetsuit. We guessed you must have been dizzy or sick and didn’t reset the security monitors-that’s why there’s no footage-and the lights of the spider must have dazzled you. I called in this morning, let him know you wouldn’t be in.”

“Oh.” You pause, taken aback. “Thank you. I could have been fired for that stunt.”

“Like I said, Tavros warned me about it. I wasn’t sure what he meant, but apparently you were more affected than anyone. She’s powerful.”

You nod, trying to ignore your head. “Did you…where are my glasses?”

“These things? I grabbed them when I left today-“ He reaches over to the side table, handing them to you. “Why do you need them? You read just fine.”

“It’s-I’m not blind, I’m just-“ You search for words, sighing. “Bright light overwhelms my eyes. I can’t take it. So I wear these.”

“Oh. That’s-I didn’t know that.” He quiets, watching you place them on your nose, then nods. “They’ll let you out of here tomorrow morning, I just stopped by to see if you were okay.”

“I’ll be fine. I might have to take another sick day tomorrow, though.” 

“Right.” He stands, about to go, but you reach to make him stop.

“Just a second.”

“What?”

“Thank you. Really. You saved me. And I know I tease you a lot, for being the muck-scrubber and all, but-thank you.”

He pauses, shrugging off the compliment. “It’s not a big deal. We help each other out, right? It’s part of our job descriptions.”

“If you say so. You should go home, though. You need some sleep.” You grin, watching him poke the bags under his eyes. “Didn’t have to come all the way here just to check up on Sleeping Beauty.”

To your surprise, he flushes, scowling faintly. “Fine, then, disregard the effort. I’ll go.”

“Call me tomorrow to make sure I’m awake!”

“Will do.” He nods, opening the door in a quick flash of light to exit the room, then lets it close to leave you in silence. You smile faintly, leaning back into the cushions, and relax against the sheets. To think that the janitor would be the one who ended up pulling you away…well. He certainly turned out be a bit different than you anticipated. Not that you ever took the time to get to know him, but-

Perhaps it’s time you started changing that.


	7. Chapter 7

You end up taking three days off from work instead of just the two, and Sollux welcomes you back eagerly when you do return. Karkat glances at you once or twice as you make your rounds, but the two of you don’t speak. It’s better that way.

Work gets underway on the darkroom exhibit, and though you can still see Vriska in her tank, she now eyes you angrily, hiding when you approach. She doesn’t dazzle you any longer, and she knows it. You stand in front of her tank once, seeing if you feel the familiar tug, and Karkat comes to stand beside you. He doesn’t say anything, simply watches. His eyes are on her, but you know you’re the reason he came. 

You invite him over for coffee the next day.

When the exhibit’s nearly completed, you approach Sollux with a batch of signs, labeling the fish in degrees of risk. Vriska tops the list, marked in all caps “D4NG3ROUS”, but Sollux doesn’t say anything about it. He simply tacks the list to the inside of the store room, with a note alerting all personnel to the dangers of the darkroom. 

Tavros takes over the majority of the duties for Vriska, and she now toys with him when he enters the tank. You keep watch, alert to the possibility of injury or attack, but she never goes after him with malicious intent. It’s surprising, but you’re relieved. As the doors open for the first day, you stand guard at the entrance, watching the guests wander in.   
Their surprised gasps make you smile, but you learn to hide your excitement whenever they glance your way. 

Vriska, of course, is the main attraction, and as Sollux predicted she practically glows beneath the scrutiny Everyone loves her, and she loves them. Even Aradia’s a bit jealous of her popularity. But no one really holds a grudge against Vriska for long.

After all, as Karkat explained, she’s simply an animal. An amazing animal, but still an animal. And you’re finally realizing that people, with all their flaws, manage to fulfill a life more than the most perfect creature could.   
-  
“Love is the essence of human experience and emotion. It is at the root of all and everything we, as humans, do. Without love, what do we have to live for?”


End file.
